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Prince George's County, MD Right to Farm: Farm Nuisance Protection (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Immunity threshold
1+ year of operation without nuisance (Sec. 30-103(a))
Required first step
Referral to Agricultural Reconciliation Committee
Committee size
5 members, farm/forestry/real estate/public seats
Complaint window
30 days of alleged adverse impact
Disclosure zones
R-O-S, AG, AR, RE, RR property sales

Summary

A Prince George's County farm or forestry operation that has run for at least a year without being a nuisance, and that follows generally accepted agricultural practices, cannot be sued as a nuisance. Anyone with a complaint must first go through the County's Agricultural Reconciliation Committee.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Prince George's County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Sec. 30-103. - Limitation of Actions. (a)A private action may not be sustained with respect to an agricultural or forestry operation conducted on agricultural land on the grounds that the agricultural or forestry operation interferes or has interfered with the use or enjoyment or property, whether public or private, if:(1)The agricultural or forestry operation, including any change in the operation, has been under way for a period of one year or more and if the operation or the change did not constitute a nuisance from the date the operation or change in the operation began; and(2)The agricultural or forestry operation is conducted substantially in accordance with generally accepted agricultural or forestry practices.(b)Notwithstanding any provision of this section, no action alleging that an agricultural or forestry operation has interfered with the reasonable use or enjoyment of real property or personal well-being shall be maintained if the plaintiff has not sought resolution through Agricultural Reconciliation Committee, as defined in Sec. 30-103.01 herein.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2026 Update 2).

Full Breakdown

Section 30-103(a) blocks a private lawsuit against an agricultural or forestry operation on agricultural land for interfering with the use or enjoyment of property if the operation, or a change to it, has run for a year or more without constituting a nuisance from the date it began, and the operation follows generally accepted agricultural or forestry practices as defined in Section 30-102. 01, a five-member subcommittee of the County's Agricultural Resources Advisory Committee that includes two farm-community members, one from forestry, one from real estate, and one member not engaged in agriculture.

02, a resident can instead complain to the Director of the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement about a public nuisance, and the Director may investigate and declare a nuisance using the same generally-accepted-practices criteria, consulting the University of Maryland Extension or the Soil Conservation District as needed. Controversies submitted to the Committee within 30 days of the alleged harm get an informal hearing without strict evidence rules, and the Committee's binding order can be appealed to the Circuit Court within 30 days. 03 requires anyone selling real property in the R-O-S, AG, AR, RE, or RR zones to give buyers a written proximity disclosure warning that the property may be near agricultural or forestry operations and subject to their noise, odor, dust, and machinery.

Violations & Fines

Sections 30-101 and 30-103.04 make clear the ordinance does not modify or abridge other health, safety, zoning, or licensing laws, and does not discharge any liability that existed before its enactment. A farm that has operated less than a year, that departs from generally accepted agricultural practices, or a plaintiff who skips the required Agricultural Reconciliation Committee referral, forfeits the protection or the standing this section otherwise provides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a neighbor sue a Prince George's County farm over noise or odor?
Not directly in most cases. Section 30-103(a) blocks a nuisance suit against a farm that has operated for a year or more using generally accepted agricultural practices, and Section 30-103(b) requires the neighbor to first submit the dispute to the Agricultural Reconciliation Committee before any lawsuit can proceed.
How long must a farm operate before the right-to-farm protection applies?
At least one year. Section 30-103(a)(1) requires the operation, or any change to it, to have run for a year or more without constituting a nuisance from the date it began, and to follow generally accepted agricultural or forestry practices, before the liability shield applies.
Do sellers have to warn buyers about nearby farms in Prince George's County?
Yes, in the R-O-S, AG, AR, RE, and RR zones. Section 30-103.03 requires a written statement disclosing that the property is near agricultural or forestry operations and may be subject to noise, odor, dust, and machinery, referencing the County's right-to-farm ordinance and Agricultural Reconciliation Committee.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Prince George's County

All Prince George's County rules

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